Netanyahu Protests French FM Apartheid Comment

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu‏‏ hit back on Wednesday against a warning from the French foreign minister against the possible emergence of apartheid in Israel.

“I would like to express a sharp protest against the remarks of the French Foreign Minister…that Israel was liable to become an apartheid state – a brazen, false claim that is without any foundation. In the State of Israel all citizens are equal before the law, regardless of their origin. The State of Israel is the beacon of democracy and human rights in our region, the only democracy in our region. Thus it has always been – and thus it will always be. We will not tolerate any hypocritical and mendacious preaching of morality on this matter.”

FM Jean-Yves Le Drian had asserted in an interview that the unrest “clearly shows that if in the future we had a solution other than the two-state solution, we would have the ingredients of long-lasting apartheid.”

Drian is one of the first senior French officials to use the term “apartheid” in connection with Israel.